Invalid walker



Aug. 15, 1950'" F. ADDITQN 2,519,096

INVALID WALKER Filed Jan. 15, 1947 Patented Aug. 15, 1950 INVALID ALKER" 1 H H Forrest Additon, FloweryBranch Ga. Application January is, iaigs rni No. 721,853

,aninvalid for seating or 'canbe used to'move about, the invalidwalker and chair having raised and'curved arms and a runner-like base so that it can be pushed alonga floor with one. knee resting on the seat. Where a'lperson has one leg or foot injured and desires to move about a room,

- it is not always convenient to use crutches, and

in addition where the person is not used to crutches the person frequently tries to move short distances without the crutches and falls. With an invalid walker in the form of 'a chair as embodied in this invention, the invalid can move about a room and can rest at any point, and in addition will not become over-balanced.

With the above and other objects in view, my invention consists in the arrangement, combinaparallel' to legs I2 and the two back forming member's I6 at theiru'pperends are connected together by a longitudinally curved or arcuate tion and details of construction disclosed in the drawings and specification, and then more particularly pointed out in the appended claim.

In the drawing,

Figure 1 is a detail front elevation of an invalid walker and chair constructed according to an embodiment of this invention,

Figure 2 is a detail side elevation of the invalid walker and chair, 1

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 33 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a detail side elevation of a modified form of this invention,

Figure 5 is a detail front elevation of the invalid walker and chair shown in Figure 4,

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken onthe line 6-6 of Figure 4.

Referring to the drawing, the numeral I0 designates generally a frame of the invalid walker which is formed of a pair of spaced parallel horizontal seat supporting members II which are of tubular construction. The seat supporting memhers I I extend from front to back at the sides of I the frame and chair have extending downwardly at right angles or perpendicularly from the forward ends thereof vertical spaced parallel tubular legs I2 and the legs. I2 have extending at right angles horizontally and rearwardly from the lower ends thereof spaced parallel base or runner members I3 in vertical alignment with and beneath members II.

The base or runner members I3 at their rear ends are formed with upturned extensions I 4 terminating beneath and in vertical alignment ummsmrrs PATENT 0mm V=: Ii with the rear ends of the members I I and the extensions Id of the base or runner members I3 are connected togetherby a transverse horizontal upwardly bowed bight portion or connecting member I5 which may be integral with the extensions I4. The rear ends of the'seat supportingmembers I I have extending at right angles vertically upward therefrom spaced parallel back forming members I5 spaced rearwardly'from' and horizontal transverse connecting member or bar I! forwardly convexed or bowed integral bight portion which forms a practical hand hold or handle bar to facilitate and control the sliding movement and direction of sliding of the device when in use. The connecting member or bar I! extends forwardly in the center over and overlies the rear portion of a padded seat I8 which is secured by fastening members I9 to the seat supporting members I I so that bar I! extends in front of members I6 and the rear edge of the seat and over the latter and the seat I8 projects out in front of the members I! and I3 and legs I2 as shown to prevent the knees or legs striking the latter. This seat is preferably only about 10 inches square and heavily padded to protect the knee.

Referring now to Figures 4 to 6, there is disclosed a modified form of this invention which includes a frame Illa similar in every respect to frame I 0, with the exception that the upper ends of the back forming members Isa. are connected together by a longitudinally curved or arcuate horizontal transverse rearwardly convexed or bowed connecting member 20 which has the concave side thereof foremost and extends rearwardly from the seat or pad I811. The connecting member 28 also includes a pair of outwardly extending handles 2! which may be formed integral with the connecting member 20 and project forwardly and outwardly of and beyond the members I60. and rear edge and sides of the padded seat or knee pad I So to form a hand hold or handle bar to likewise facilitate and control the sliding movement and direction of sliding of the device when in use.

In the use of this invalid walker and chair, the padded seat or knee pad I8 may be used in the normal manner by an invalid who may have an injury to one leg. When the invalid desires to stand up and move, the invalid may stand on the uninjured leg and may engage the knee pad or padded seat I8 with the knee of the other leg. The forwardly extending connecting member I 1 or the rearwardly extending connecting member 20 and ends 2| constitute a handle which may be grasped by one or both hands of the invalid and the device may then be pushed 5 over the floor, the runners l3 readily sliding over the floor. In this manner the invalid or person with an injured foot can easily and safely propel himself or herself around Without danger of falling as oftenrhappenszwhen usingcrutches, rest at any desiredpoint and can readily move from one point to another without the use of crutches.

By forming the frame of the invalid walker" and chair out of tubular material or metal uthe:

frame can be made as a single tubular unit and the frame can be made out of 'rel'ative1y light weight, strong, resilient material-c. In-lthisman ner the invalid walker and chair can be readily pushed by the invalid along the surface-zof-fth'e floor when it is desiredaito move from one point to ianother.

Isdo :not mean-etcvconfineemyselfi toctherexact detail'smf Onstruction hereinxdisclosed but claim allivariations falling-within athe-spurview --of ..the

appended: claimr-r What Lclaimz-issv rAn invalidmalkeriand seat comprisingarirame formed of a bar havingapair of horizontala seat supporting members 5 a pair of horizontal bottom: members parallel with and beneath said-seat '30 supportinggmembers; a .pair 20? avertical :front leg members-integral: with the 'fonward ends ofmsaid seat supporting and bottom members, said bottom members having upturned rear portions with a bight portion connecting the same, a pair of back forming members extending upwardly from the rear ends of said seat supporting members, a connecting bar between the upper ends of said back forming members and forming a handle bar, and a seat secured to said seat supporting members and projecting forwardly of the leg members, .saidbar projectingforwardly a substantial distance-over the-"seat an'dadapted to be gripped for sliding the device about the floor on the bottom members with one knee resting onathe-seat and one foot on the floor.

FORREST ADDITON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the fil ot this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date s D. 128,802 scheinfild Aug.) 12,1941 D. l4=3,005 Hunterw Nov. 27, 1945 545,695 Jamme S'ept...3,",l895 139L453 Mies Feb. 3;,1931 2,025,621. Soule. Dec..24,' 1935 'FDREIGN PATENTS Number Country? Date 15023322" Great Britain Mar.22',"- 1939 

